Abused dogs recovering at animal shelter in San Francisco

Four abused dogs are recovering from traumatic injuries at San Francisco's Animal Care and Control. From left to right, they are Purple, Tiny Dancer, Scrappy, and Tory.

May 25, 2013 12:51:13 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO --

San Francisco Animal Care and Control officials were stunned this week to find a frail and badly hurt pit bull terrier in Golden Gate Park , one of four abused dogs recovering from traumatic injuries at the agency's shelter, a spokeswoman said.

Animal control staff, which responds to an average of nine animal abuse calls per day in San Francisco, discovered a starving dog they named Tiny Dancer tied to pole at the park with multiple blunt force injuries and fractures, the agency's volunteer coordinator Deb Campbell said.

Tiny Dancer, to require major surgery to walk again, was "the latest to stun" animal control officials who also found a Tibetan terrier mix nearly beaten to death and a pug mix puppy blinded from abusive treatment, Campbell said.

The Tibetan terrier, called Scrappy, is recovering and Animal Control officers arrested a suspect on suspicion of beating the dog, Campbell said.

The pug mix puppy, dubbed Queenie but renamed Tory short for "Victorious," was found unconscious with its eyes filled with blood and "only time will tell if her vision can be restored through surgery," Campbell said.

Tory also appeared to have been sexually assaulted, "a serious and truly deplorable crime" and law enforcement agencies are searching for the person or persons responsible, Campbell said.

Another pit bull terrier, named Purple, was found abandoned this week with a fractured foot and is recovering at the agency's shelter at 1200 15th St.

The city's Department of Animal Care and Control, which maintains the open-door shelter, is offering a reward of $1,000 for information that leads to the arrests and convictions of those responsible for the abuse against Tiny Dancer and Tory, Campbell said. Anyone with information about these and other cases of animal abuse is urged to call the shelter at (415) 554-9427